How to tell the correct year of a Class C

[bassoneman]

Originally Posted by kmesaaz

My Chalet chassis is a 2007, CARFAX reports that the Chalet is a 2008, and the dealer listed and sold the Chalet to me as a 2009.

CARFAX reports that the first owner purchased and titled the Chalet in 2008 and drove 14,375 miles. The vin # indicates that the Chalet is a 2008.

So, instead of averaging the miles on the odometer based on 2008, the miles driven would be averaged on the year 2009. The 66,500 miles based on 2008 purchase equals 16625 a year. The 66,500 miles based on 2009 equals 22,166.

I found this all very confusing, and I may still be confused, but it is what it is, I think.

Mine is just like this on the car fax. Mine stated out as I found out afterwards as a fleet rental.. It was first titled in 2005. But my title says 2006.. Maybe new models come out in the fall like new cars...

[ottffss]

Originally Posted by bassoneman

...Maybe new models come out in the fall like new cars...

New models are often announced at the RVIA industry only trade show in Louisville in late November to early December.

Production of the new models seems to start in the April'ish or May'ish time frame. Hence - being it is nearing April - orders for the 2013 model year are already being taken and even being scheduled on many production lines.

[JerryofWV]

Originally Posted by Senior Chief

The body is always built ON TOP of the pre-existing chassis, so the body (house) will always have the younger date.

If your unit is sold and titled as a 2006, 2006 is the year the body was built and the unit completed. The chassis (engine) will have the prior years date.

Not true in my case. My Pace Arrow is titled 1998, but the chassis is a 1999. They did not put the Ford V10 in 1998 F-53 chassis. They were still using the 460.

[hoofbreath]

After eading these great posts, all seem to indicate the general trend, but which one is used to book it in NADA. The titled year or the chassis year?

AS the model year on the title could be different than the specs for that chassis and be a different value on in............. the case of the last post the engine is a Ford 460 instead of a V-10.

This is very important to me in my search for a motorhome right now. One year from a 2003 to a 2002 is a $3500 or 20% difference in value?????????

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by Cat320

The year that counts is the one on the title.

And by law that is set by the RV manufacturers Certificate Of Origin. It will be the year the RV manufacturer says it is.

[bobmac]

In Ontario, the RV is "titled" -called "Ownership or Licenced" here - based solely on the chassis year in the VIN. The licensing system is comletely diven by the VIN regardless of the model year specified by the "Final Manufacturer". The model year in the VIN is the 10th character - they were numeric (single digit) until I believe 2010 when they became alphabetical.

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by bobmac

In Ontario, the RV is "titled" -called "Ownership or Licenced" here - based solely on the chassis year in the VIN. The licensing system is comletely diven by the VIN regardless of the model year specified by the "Final Manufacturer". The model year in the VIN is the 10th character - they were numeric (single digit) until I believe 2010 when they became alphabetical.

OP is in the US so that is what the answers are predicated on.

[bobmac]

Originally Posted by Mr_D

OP is in the US so that is what the answers are predicated on.

I realize he is in the US ..... I was really just answering the question of how you determine the year from the VIN.

[SarahW]

I have to wonder why the Fleetwood manuals say 2005?? Maybe a call to Fleetwood is in order.

[Rowanova]

In a similar situation, I'm aware of an individual who has a fifth wheel trailer that is titled as a model year one year after the manufacturer (supposedly) discontinued producing this particular model. How can such a scenario be?

[Glenn and Kathy]

[QUOTE=EDALLSAILS;1110178]Titling RV upon Model Year of RV, Not the chassis.
"Please be advised that the practice of titling recreational vehicles based on the year of the manufacture of the coach and not the chassis was confirmed by resolution of the American Association of Motor Vehicle administrators in 1979. resolution 18c, 19c and 20 of the AAMVA apply."

Not always the case, When I moved to AZ in 03 I had a 98 coach on a 99 Chassis. Az would only fregister as a 99 because that is what the VIN said. I showed them the CA registration and the manufacturers label in the closet, but in the end I ended up upgrading to a year newer coach. Of course it cost more to register it because it was newer

Glenn

[Ray,IN]

This is also standard and accepted practice with any vehicle. My 2002-titled Chevy dually was produced in May 2001.